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Warm hands pushed me back down on the couch and Holt squatted in front of me, his large hands engulfing mine. "Maddy, I'm sure they're fine, but if it makes you feel better, we'll contact the Red Cross and see if we can find out where they went. You don’t need to worry, okay?"
God, what was happening to me? I kept falling apart and needed to pull it together. I took a deep breath and focused on the man in front of me, steadying me with his calmness. "You're right. I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm so emotional when others lost so much more than me."
"I think you're entitled. You've had a rough go of it lately. And just because you didn't have as much as others, it doesn't make your loss any less." He stood up and moved to sit in another chair, but kept his eyes locked on me. The golden glow of his eyes caused an unexplained shiver to run through me
I would have missed Molly Andrews’s assessing stare followed by her pleased smile if I hadn’t forced my gaze away from Holt’s. She placed her coffee cup on the table. "Well, I need to be running along. It was a pleasure to meet you, Madelyn."
Mrs. Andrew’s pulled me into a warm hug while Holt gathered her coat. Her gesture felt so motherly, I wanted to cling to her and confide everything I was feeling. Instead, I gave her a quick squeeze in return. Before she pulled back, she whispered in my ear, "It will all be fine, dear. Have faith in Holt and let him help you. He needs it as much as you do. You wouldn’t be here if he didn’t care.” Pulling back, she smiled. “I hope the clothes fit. If not, we have an excuse to go shopping and get to know each other better." She turned and crooked her finger at her son. He bent down, and she kissed his cheek. "Bring Maddy with you tomorrow." She picked up a purse near the front door and left.
Holt needs me? Clothes? Tomorrow? What was she talking about?
"Sorry," Holt said. "My mom is nothing, if not direct."
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," I snorted. "But she was sweet. What did she mean by clothes?"
"I'm sorry, Maddy. I went back for the laundry you mentioned last night. I found the basket, but all that was left were some socks and a few pairs of um, your underwear. I've got them in the wash for you since I found them tossed aside in the bushes and mud."
I flushed at the idea of Holt handling my underwear. There was nothing special about them, which almost made it worse that he saw firsthand how unsexy I was. Not that it mattered. It wasn’t like he was interested in me that way, but I was certain the women he dated were much more sophisticated and had pretty clothes, on the surface and underneath.
"So early this morning,” I refocused on what he was saying, "I called my sister-in-law, Sara. She's close to your size, and I asked if she had some clothes you could borrow so you'd have something clean to wear today until we can go shopping. She put together a couple of bags. Somehow, my mom found out and insisted on bringing them over herself." He grinned. "I told you, nothing gets past her."
You mean she came to check out the woman staying with you to see if she’s good enough for you, I thought.
"She's just looking out for you. I think it's sweet. But a couple bags of clothes? For a complete stranger?" I was overwhelmed by his sister-in-law's generosity.
"That's Sara." He reached behind the couch and pulled out two large paper sacks, each filled to the top with colorful fabrics. "She said to keep anything you want."
I pulled out the top piece from one of the bags. It was a dark blue blouse, and I was sure it was real silk. The item that came after it, a gorgeous emerald green sweater dress, still had a tag on it. "Oh, I...wow." I glanced at Holt. "It's too much, even to borrow." My own family had never treated me with such graciousness and generosity.
Holt picked up the bag and pushed it into my chest. "Take it, Maddy. I swear she wouldn't have sent it if she didn't want you to have it. Some might be a few of hers, and some might have come from the boutique she owns. One side is like a regular consignment shop, but the other side she keeps for wannabe new designers so they can sell their designs to help get their name out there. Some might be secondhand, but I'll take you shopping whenever you want."
"Secondhand isn't a problem. I've just...I've never had such nice things, Holt, and I'm not used to someone doing something so nice for me, at least, not without a price of some kind attached. It's hard to accept."
"Maddy, Maddy, Maddy,” he sighed. “Always so suspicious. I get something shitty happened to make you so jaded, but there are people who do nice things for others just because they want to. Sara is one of them. And you'll hurt her feelings if you don't let her help. In fact, I didn't even have to ask her. She offered the second I told her I had a friend who lost everything in a fire."
"She's not the only one in your family. It seems I’m always thanking you, but again, thank you, Holt. For everything you've done."
He smiled. "You're welcome."
"Did...did you by any chance find a book or necklace when you went back?" I had to know for sure.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry. You mentioned a book last night. I looked everywhere, all over the ground, in the bushes, up and down the entire area. I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for, but no, no books or anything else. It’s not a bad neighborhood, but I suspect there are enough people who didn’t want to pass up free clothes or anything else. Were they important?"
I blew out a breath. "It doesn't matter. Thank you for looking. I'm going to grab a shower if you don't mind." I needed to get away before I cried again. Damn Charly for sending them.
"Sure. And Maddy, while you're here, think of it as your home. You don't need to ask permission. I'm going to run out and grab us some breakfast, okay?"
"K."
His shrewd eyes appeared to assess me. "Are you sure you're okay?"
I nodded and hurried down the hall before he could push me further. The guest bathroom was larger and nicer than mine with granite countertops and a walk-in shower. By the time I finished enjoying the amazingly rejuvenating hot spray, I'd given myself the mother of all pep talks. I'd convinced myself that I could live as I had for the past six years without those items. I was still sad that they were gone forever, but they were only material items.
By the time I was dressed in the most casual clothes I could find in the bags, a pair of form-fitting jeans and a white wrap around blouse, I'd convinced myself Holt had been right when he said there were people who cared about others, about me. The past few weeks were proof of that. It was time to move on and quit letting my past be so influential on the present.
By the time I made my bed and put away my new clothes, including the sleepwear Holt loaned me that I decided to hold on to, I had convinced myself I could pick up and move on and make friends without holding on to my fear of betrayal.
By the time I straightened the kitchen and had a second cup of coffee, I’d decided that Holt was a man true to his word. He was someone who enjoyed looking out for other people, and even knowing my past, he’d defended me. When we argued, it had been mostly my presumptions that had fueled it. Despite them, he hadn’t turned his back on me. He tried harder to get to know me. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to allow him in and trust him.
